Apparatus for applying bands to tubular articles



2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 14,.1945.

I w. A. WEIGHTMAN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING BANDS TO TUBULAR ARTICLES Original Fiied May 2. 1942 w a u a w 2 a a A Via M INVENTOR William QWeighiman.

By ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1945 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING BANDS TO TUBULAR ARTICLES William A. wei mman, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application May 2, 1942, Serial No. 441,513. Divided and this application May 25, 1943, Serial No. 488,361

8 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for apply ing bands to shells, projectiles and the like, this application being a division of my application Serial No. 441,513, filed May 2, 1942.

In certain classes of ordnance work it'is the practice .to provide the shell or projectile with a propelling band mounted in a circumferential groove near. the base thereof. The band is usually of brass or an alloy which is sufliciently soft to minimize injury of the rifled surfaces of the bore of the ordnance piece from which the projectile is to be fired. Present day high velocities impose severe stresses which tend to loosen the bands from the projectiles during passage through the guns from which they are fired and it iswell known that should be the bands become loosenedthe projectiles are quite apt to be unsteady in flight.

The aim of the apparatus of the present invention is to provide a shell, projectile and the like with a band which has the inherent characteristic of maintaining itself sufficiently tight as not to become loosened as a. result of the imposition of racking stresses or of circumferential expansion arisin out of the heat generated during firing.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for banding shells, projectiles and the like whereby in the use of the apparatus the band will be efliciently and firmly applied with the insurance that it will retain a tight leak-proof fit with the shell or projectile.

Another object is to provide such apparatus wherein in its use the band will be under a state of initial tensionwhen in place and will tend to tenaciously grip or hug the shell or projectile.

A further object is to provide an improved apparatus for banding shells and projectiles which is of simple and yet extremely eflicient construction, and of such construction that the shells and projectiles can be banded with great rapidity.

@ With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in certain features of construction, combination of parts which will be apparent from the following detailed description, to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and then claimed.

In the drawings which illustrate a suitable embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention,

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectidn taken through the apparatus showing the same in the process of handing a shell.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a shell and band in position prior to the banding operation.

Figure 3 is a top plan of the segmental banding segments employed in the apparatus;

Figure4 is a fragmentary view corresponding to the upper portion of Figure 1 but showing the banding segments in side elevation instead of in section; and

Figure 5' is a section taken approximately on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, the apparatus includes a suitable frame member l0 having a horizontal table it provided with an opening l2 therethrough. Supported on the table I l is an annular die or cone support 13 provided with a radially inwardly extending flange M which supports the guide member or cone l5 through engagement with a. circumferential shoulder l6 formed on the cone IS. The cone l5 has a conical opening l'l therethrough coaxially aligned with the opening ll of the table II, the conical wall of the opening I'l forming the actuating and guiding means for the banding segments l8 about to be described.

The cone support l3 and cone I5 are clamped to the table I i in axial alignment with the table opening l2 by means of an annular member l9 closely surrounding the members l3 and I5 and having upper and lower annular shoulders 20 and 2| respectively which respectively bear against the upper sides of members l3 and IS in clamping engagement. The surrounding annular member I '9 is provided with a circumferential end flange 22 which is secured to the table II by suitable bolts or cap screws 23. In the secured position of the member i9, shoulder 2| thereof securely clamps the annular cone support l3 against the table II and shoulder 20 securely axially clamps the cone i5 against the flange M of the support I3, thus securely locating the cone l5 coaxially with respect to the table opening it. t I

Secured to the frame member l0 through the medium of suitable bolts 24 is a vertically arranged hydraulic pressure cylinder 25 having a reciprocable piston 28 therein provided with a vertically arranged piston, or plunger rod 21. The plunger rod 2'! is coaxially aligned with the table opening i2 and cone l5 and terminatesin a supporting base 28 below the table opening l2, the base 28 having slidable bearing engagement with a h rdened wear plate 29 carried by the frame l0. 1

The support 38 for the banding segments I8 is secured to the horizontal face 3| of the base 28 by cap screws 32 and extends upwardly within ring 81 is secured to the support 88 by bolts 88 and provided with a radially inwardly extending flange 38to overlap flanged portions 40 of the segments l8 in guiding engagement.

It will be seen from the drawings that the conical surfaces 4| of the segments l8 are complementary to the conical wall ll of the cone l8 and in the retracted, i. e. downward position of the plunger rod 21, shown in Figure 2, the conical segment surfaces 4i are in complemental engagement with the conicalwall li' so that when the plunger rod 21-is actuated upwardly the segments l8 will be caused by the conical wall I? to move radially inwardly toward each other, during which movement they are guided by the radial ribs 88.

The segments l8 are contoured to provide, in their assembled relation, an axially extending passage 42. This passage is enlarged at 48 to provide coplanar shoulders 44 on the segments l8 which, as shown in Figure 2, support the openend of a shell or projectile P to be banded. The passage is again slightly enlarged at 48 to provide the segments I 8 with aligned shoulders 46 which support the band B to be applied to the projectile P in circumscribing aligned relation with respect to the groove G of the projectile P within the band is to be applied.

In order to urge the segments l8 radially outwardly into contact with the conical wall ii,

the lower end of the passage 42 formed by the segments 18' is shaped to provide conical surfaces 41 which engage with a conical separating element 48. The separating element 48 is axially movably mounted on the axial recess 88 of the support 30 and is urged in an upward direction by a compression spring which seats against the bottom of the recess 83 and against the element 48 through the medium of a washer 58.

The element 48 is provided with an axial opening 5! within which a rod 52 is positioned with a loose fit, the rod 52 being carried by the washer and projecting upwardly therefrom and provided at its upper end with an enlarged cylindrical mandrel 53. The mandrel 58 is of such length that when the shell or projectile P is in place it will be positioned within the projectile P to underlie the circumferential groove G thereof. The mandrel 53 is also of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the opening I 54 within the projectile P to have a slight clearance therewith.

It is to bev understood, of course, that the taper of the conical wall I1 is such that when the segments l8 are moved upwardly the wedging action will be such as to move the segments radially inwardly. Similarly the taper of the conical element 48 must be such that the radially inward movement of the segments l8 will cause the element 48 to move axially downwardly against the resistance of the spring 48 whereby when the plunger rod 28 is retracted, the spring 49 will move the element 48 upwardly to move the segments i8 radially outwardly to the position shown in Figure 2.

In the operation of the apparatus, the operator thereof places the band B within the enlarged recess 45 to seat on the shoulder 48 and the projectile P over the mandrel 58 into seating relation on the shoulders 44 as shown in Figure 2, it being observed that the band B, which is of brass or other suitable alloy, to be applied within the groove G is greater in diameter than the diameter of the projectile P. I have found that an adept operator can first surround the projectile with the band and quickly drop the same into position ina single movement, the internal contour of the segments l8 being such that the band B automatically assumes its proper position within the enlarged recess 45 and upon the shoulders 48.

The operator then, through suitable control mechanism, (not shown and which may be of any well known character), actuates the hydraulic device 25 to raise the plunger rod 2? which moves the axially supported mechanism and projectile P upwardly. During this movement the conical face I! of the guiding member forces the banding segments l8 radially inwardly with great pressure to uniformly contract the band B and force the same within the groove G and the metal thereof to flow to completely and intimately surround the knurling 68 and expand to completely fill the groove G. The movement of the segments I8 is such that, in addition to upsetting or expanding the metal of the band B into the groove G, it circumferentially compresses theportion of the body of the projectile P underlying the band B into contact with the mandrel 58. The clearance between the mandrel 53 and the inner surface of the projectile is such however that the metal of the projectile body is not stressed beyond its elastic limit. The metal of the band B, however, due to the extreme amount of contraction is stressed beyond its elastic limit and the plastic flow thereof resulting from the heavy radial pressure causes the band metal to flow into intimate contact with all surfaces of the groove G. As previously explained, the conical element 48, during the inward movement of the segments it; moves downwardly against the resistance of the spring 59, and this movement continues until it is restricted by the engagement of the projectile body with the mandrel 83. Since the mandrel is supported from the spring pressed washer 88 and the shank 52 thereof has a slight clearance with the element 48, the mandrel can shift laterally to compensate for any eccentricity of the internal surface of the projectile whereby the projectile body is uniformly contracted around the mandrel.

Upon release of the hydraulic pressure against the piston 26 and the return of the piston 26 and the banding mechanism to the retracted position shown in Figure 2, the spring 48 moves the element 48 upwardly to force the segments it to sure against the inner surface of the band B r tending to place the same under tension, thereby insuring greater resistance to rotation of the band relative the projectile body.

I am aware of the'fact that bands or rings have been swaged into the grooves of projectiles, but in methods previously employed it has not been possible to get the metal of the band into as intimate a. contact with all surfaces of the holding groove. According to my method, the band is placed under an initial tension by the restoration of the underlying projectile body to its stress-free condition with the result that the tension stresses thus set up in the band cause the band to so closely hug the projectile that the racking strains to which it may be subjected in use will not distort the same or loosen it from its hugging relation with th shell. Moreover, due to the fact that the band is under an initial tension on the bottom of the groove it has considerably greater resistance to expansion when subjected to heating by the burning powder gases produced during firing than is-the case where such initial tension is not present.

While I have shown a single embodiment of the apparatus employed, it is to be understood that various changes may be made without departin from the spirit and substance of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for handing cylindrical articles, band compressingmeans having a support and a plurality of segmental members arranged on said support about a common axis and being individually radially movable on said support, said segmental members having internal arcuate surfaces circumferentially aligned with each other to support an annular band and having external axially tapering surfaces, a pressure member having an axially tapered recess complemental to and in engagement with said tapering surfaces, and pressure means for efiecting relative axial movement between said support and pressure member toward each other to cause radially inward movement of said segmental members whereby to radially compress a band carried other to support an annular band and external axially tapering surfaces, a pressure member having an axially tapered recess complemental to and in engagement with said tapering surfaces, spring means urging said segmental members into engagement with; said tapered recess and for moving said segments radially outwardly upon relative movement of said pressure bers radially movable on said support relative to the axis thereof to compress an annular band carried by said members, an annular pressure member surrounding said segmental members, said pressure member having an internal wedging surface complemental to and in engagement with corresponding surfaces of said segmental members, means for effecting relative axial movement between said support and pressure member whereby'the wedging action between saidsurfaces moves said segmental members radially inward toward each other, and means for resiliently urging said segmental members into engagement with said wedging surface, said last mentionedmeans including axially tapering internal surfaces on said segmental members, a

I conical member engaged with said internal surfaces and being reciproca'bly mounted in said support and spring means urging said conical member into engagement with said internal sur-' faces.

5.'In an apparatus for banding tubular articles, a support, a plurality of segmental members mounted on said support for radial movement relative to a common axis, and being recessed to coaxially support an annular band therebebers mounted on said support for radial move-.

ment relative'to a common axis, and being reber having an axially tapered recess complemental toand in engagement with said tapering surfaces, spring means urging said segmental meme bers into engagement with said tapered recess and for moving said segments radially outwardly cessed to coaxially support an annular band therebetween, said members having shoulder per.

time for supporting a tubular article to be upon relative movement of said pressure member and'support axially away from each othenand pressure means for effecting relative axial movement between said support and pressure member toward each other to cause radially inward movebanded coaxially within the band, a mandrel of slightly lesser diameter than the internal diameter of and arranged to extend within the tubular article supported by said members, and means for simultaneously moving said members radially ment of said segmental members whereby to radi-' ally compress aband carried thereby.

3. In an apparatus for banding cylindrical articles, band compressing means having a support .and a plurality of segmental members arranged on said support about a common axis and being individually radially movable on said support, said segmental members having internal arcuate surfaces circumferentially aligned with each inwardly to contract the band carried thereby into engagement with the tubular article, said mandrel serving to predeterminethe amount of contraction of the tubular article during banding of the same.

.7. In an apparatus for handing tubular articles, a support, a plurality of segmental members mounted on said support for radial move-- ment relative to a common axis and being recessed to support coaxially an annular band therebetween, said members having shoulder portions for supporting a tubular article to be Y banded coaxially within the band, a 'madrel of a diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of and arranged to extend within the tubular article supported by said members, said mandrel being fioatingly supported between said members for movement transversely thereof and serving to limit contraction of the tubular article engagement with the tubular article.

8. In an apparatus for banding cylindrical articles, a horizontal table having an opening therethiiough, an annular member having its inner circumference defined by a conical wall,

means for supporting said member above said table substantially coaxial with said table opening, a. vertically reciprocable plunger, means below said table for reciprocating said plunger, and a plurality ofsegmental members supported on said plunger for radial movement relative to a common axis coaxial with said conical wall, and said table opening, said segmental members having external tapering surfaces complemental to and in engagement with said conical wall and being internally recessed to support a. cylindrical article to be handed and to support an annular band in surrounding relation with respect to the article.

WILLIAM A. "WEIGHTMAN. 

